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Fashola Charges Lawyers To Rise Against Conducts That Undermine Dignity Of The Courts

Aug 19, 2009 - Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Wednesday evening charged all lawyers to rise and condemn the developing practice where people, men, women and supporters band storm court premises to share food and engage in other conducts that tend to undermine the dignity of the courts.

Governor Fashola who spoke at the Lagos House, Marina when he hosted selected delegates of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Annual Conference holding in Lagos to a dinner, added that the development represents an ominous sign.

Said he: “When the pre-eminence, aura and integrity of the judicial officers and the courts are demystified before members of the public, it is an invitation to anarchy”.

Governor Fashola recalled that though he did not witness the era of late J.I. Coker, but learnt of how the courts looked like, asking that the way forward is to go back to the basic building blocks which made Nigerians very rich and proud people.

He argued that whenever a lawyer puts up a brief of appearance for a case and the statute books provides that a case is bailable, there should be no basis for any lawyer to oppose bail application.

He added that the only form of argument that should arise must be in terms of which conditions should be satisfied by an applicant to secure his freedom.

He said: “We should therefore recognize that our responsibility is not to win or vouch a case but to ensure that our clients get justice according to the law. The kind of justice we seek may sometimes offend the morality of the public. That is why we are learned”.

He urged lawyers to continue with the tradition of camaraderie by which lawyers often offer judicial authorities to advice opposing counsels to help their case and also offering to help when there are issues to sort out before judges.

Governor Fashola said as a government, the present administration has gone back to the basic by restoring law and order and unleashing law abiding citizens to seek their full potentials in an orderly society.

The Governor added that one other way which has been embraced by the Government is vacation jobs which since 2007 when it was reintroduced have been providing employment for at least 4000 holidaying students, with the figure for 2009 rising to about 5000 young people.

Governor Fashola told the gathering that in line with the vision, Voluntary and Social Associations have been reintroduced in Public Schools to teach young ones the values of trust, community service, teamwork and integrity which according to him: “We know we will not go wrong if we go back to them”.

Governor Fashola who also said he has received very heartwarming feedback from the friendship centres about how enjoyable the stay of the lawyers have been in Lagos, adding that the traffic challenge encountered by some of the guests on the way to event is part of the challenge which the prosperity of Lagos has brought.

Also speaking, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Supo Sasore thanked the gathering of lawyers for contributing very richly to the process of drafting of amendments to some laws in the state.

The event was attended by the Deputy Governor, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan, President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Olurotimi Akeredolu (SAN), some members of the State Executive Council and Commissioner of Police, Mr Marvel Akpoyibo, Chief Judge of Lagos, Justice Inumidun Akande and the Attorney General of Adamawa State as well as members of the Bar and the Bench.